14 Films and TV Shows Spotlighting Asian Talent

1 / 14

Crazy Rich Asians

Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel, Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) in her new-found discovery that her boyfriend (Henry Golding) is actually from one of the wealthiest families in Singapore. It’s sure to get you laughing, crying, and beaming from ear-to-ear at the same time. More than just a movie, this feel-good romantic comedy is a landmark in the history of films, as the first major studio movie “in which an Asian filmmaker has told an Asian-American story with Asians in all of the leading roles”.

Where to watch: Released in HK cinemas August 23, 2018Running time: 120 minutes

2 / 14

Bao

This Pixar animated short film plays before The Incredibles 2 and is about a Chinese-Canadian mother who feels increasingly isolated from her son as he leaves home for the first time. When she makes a steamed bun that comes to life as a little boy, she leaps at the opportunity to relive her motherhood. Though some of you may not be able to identify with the cultural images throughout, it is still a great way to learn more about Chinese notions of family. If anything, it is a story of the relationship between mother and child that everyone should be able to relate to!

Where to watch: Released in HK cinemas July 19, 2018Running time: 8 minutes

3 / 14

Star Wars: The Last Jedi

There isn’t much to be said about this epic science-fiction film that you wouldn’t know about already. The second instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, we’ve included this one because it scores major diversity points. Of course, this isn’t to say that the cast of a film are merely checkboxes that must be ticked off, but come on, since when have you seen an Asian woman star in ablockbuster film recognised all over the world? Kelly Marie Tran, who plays the selfless hero Rose Tico, is a pleasure to watch and joins the rest of her cast in breaking representational boundaries.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 152 minutes

4 / 14

Lion

In this biographical drama starring English-born actor Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar, director Garth Davis recreates the true story of an Indian boy adopted by an Australian couple, who subsequently sets out in search of his biological family. In this heart-warming tale that defies all odds, you are transported into the life of a missing child, one that is sadly a harsh reality for many families in India.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 118 minutes

5 / 14

To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before

This teen rom-com is for all of you out there who’ve spent more of your time admiring your crush from afar than actually doing anything about it (don’t worry, we’re all guilty of it). Based on Jenny Han’s novel, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before stars Vietnamese-American actress Lana Condor as 16-year-old Lara Jean, who has to deal with the aftermath of the unfortunate release of her love letters to previous crushes. Jenny Han herself stated that she wanted the lead actress to remain the same race (Asian-American) as in the novel:“there is power in seeing a face that looks like yours do something, be someone”.

The Big Sick

Starring Pakistani-American comedian Kumail Nanjiani,The Big Sick is a rom-com loosely based around the relationship between Najiani and his real-life girlfriend, Emily V. Gordon. It explores the story of an interracial couple who face disapproval from their families and have to overcome cultural differences.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 117 minutes

7 / 14

In The Mood For Love

Set in Hong Kong and directed by one of our very own, this Wong Kar-wai film is about the love story between a man (Tony Leung) and a woman (Maggie Cheung) who discover that their significant others have been seeing each other behind their backs.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 98 minutes

8 / 14

Master of None

In this award-winning comedy-drama series, Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari) tries to jump-start not only his acting career but also his dating game with the help of his bizarre group of friends in New York. Written by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, this Netflix series takes a refreshing approach on life as an adult.

Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D

Based around the Marvel comics organisation S.H.I.E.L.D, this series follows a team of spy agents who try and keep the peace on Earth by fighting against villains, aliens, super-humans, and terrorist organisations. This team includes Melinda May, played by Macanese-born American actress Ming-Na Wen, who is a badass, butt-kicking weapons expert fatal in physical combat.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 5

10 / 14

Fresh Off The Boat

This American family sitcom centres around the Asian-American Huang family, who have to strike a balance between embracing their American surroundings and keeping in touch with their Taiwanese roots. Fresh Off The Boat is a critically-acclaimed TV show that deals with the Asian-American experience in a light-hearted but still relevant way.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 4

11 / 14

Elementary

This crime-drama series takes a contemporaryapproach to the traditional character of Sherlock Holmes, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 6

12 / 14

The Mindy Project

Written by and starring Mindy Kaling, this rom-com series follows gynaecologist Mindy Lahiri as she navigates between her romantic and professional life with a group of co-workers by her side.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 6

13 / 14

The Night Of

This HBO crime drama series centres around Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American college student who wakes up after a night of partying to find a girl stabbed to death beside him in his New York apartment. The show explores the legal, criminal and personal repercussions of Khan’s circumstance.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 1

14 / 14

The Walking Dead

In this horror-drama hybrid series, you are taken into a post-apocalyptic world where people have been infected with a virus that turns them into ravenous zombies, save for a small percent of the population. Steven Yeun, who plays one of the principal characters Glenn Rhee, is a treat to watch and provides some much-needed comic relief from this intensestoryline.

14 Films and TV Shows Spotlighting Asian Talent

14 Films and TV Shows Spotlighting Asian Talent

Diversity is in, sameness is out. Here are the movies and TV shows that embrace diversity in their casts and the stories they choose to tell…

Now more than ever, in our increasingly cosmopolitan world, there is a need for inclusivity. Far from simply a source of entertainment, film and television can actually teach us much about accepting differences between ourselves. By casting an Asian actor as the hero or heroine in an action film, it sends a message that they too can be mentally and physically strong and hold heroic qualities. Similarly, an Asian actor starring in a romantic film not only shows audiences that Asians too are capable of pursuing love, but also introduces diversity to cultural perceptions of beauty, which is sadly dominated by white standards of attractiveness.

Though such conclusions may seem ridiculous at first, it is a well-known fact that films are meant to leave an impression on their audiences – they have the power to sway our judgement. What does it say about our society if these impressions are predominantly based around a white cast who a lot of us may not be able to relate to? By including a diverse profile of casts, not only in regard to race but also gender, theLGBTQ+ and the disabled community, we establish a world where people feel that their stories can be heard.

Based on Kevin Kwan’s best-selling novel, Crazy Rich Asians follows Rachel Chu (Constance Wu) in her new-found discovery that her boyfriend (Henry Golding) is actually from one of the wealthiest families in Singapore. It’s sure to get you laughing, crying, and beaming from ear-to-ear at the same time. More than just a movie, this feel-good romantic comedy is a landmark in the history of films, as the first major studio movie “in which an Asian filmmaker has told an Asian-American story with Asians in all of the leading roles”.

Where to watch: Released in HK cinemas August 23, 2018Running time: 120 minutes

This Pixar animated short film plays before The Incredibles 2 and is about a Chinese-Canadian mother who feels increasingly isolated from her son as he leaves home for the first time. When she makes a steamed bun that comes to life as a little boy, she leaps at the opportunity to relive her motherhood. Though some of you may not be able to identify with the cultural images throughout, it is still a great way to learn more about Chinese notions of family. If anything, it is a story of the relationship between mother and child that everyone should be able to relate to!

Where to watch: Released in HK cinemas July 19, 2018Running time: 8 minutes

There isn’t much to be said about this epic science-fiction film that you wouldn’t know about already. The second instalment of the Star Wars sequel trilogy, we’ve included this one because it scores major diversity points. Of course, this isn’t to say that the cast of a film are merely checkboxes that must be ticked off, but come on, since when have you seen an Asian woman star in ablockbuster film recognised all over the world? Kelly Marie Tran, who plays the selfless hero Rose Tico, is a pleasure to watch and joins the rest of her cast in breaking representational boundaries.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 152 minutes

In this biographical drama starring English-born actor Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar, director Garth Davis recreates the true story of an Indian boy adopted by an Australian couple, who subsequently sets out in search of his biological family. In this heart-warming tale that defies all odds, you are transported into the life of a missing child, one that is sadly a harsh reality for many families in India.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 118 minutes

This teen rom-com is for all of you out there who’ve spent more of your time admiring your crush from afar than actually doing anything about it (don’t worry, we’re all guilty of it). Based on Jenny Han’s novel, To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before stars Vietnamese-American actress Lana Condor as 16-year-old Lara Jean, who has to deal with the aftermath of the unfortunate release of her love letters to previous crushes. Jenny Han herself stated that she wanted the lead actress to remain the same race (Asian-American) as in the novel:“there is power in seeing a face that looks like yours do something, be someone”.

Starring Pakistani-American comedian Kumail Nanjiani,The Big Sick is a rom-com loosely based around the relationship between Najiani and his real-life girlfriend, Emily V. Gordon. It explores the story of an interracial couple who face disapproval from their families and have to overcome cultural differences.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 117 minutes

Set in Hong Kong and directed by one of our very own, this Wong Kar-wai film is about the love story between a man (Tony Leung) and a woman (Maggie Cheung) who discover that their significant others have been seeing each other behind their backs.

Where to watch: Available on Blu-rayRunning time: 98 minutes

In this award-winning comedy-drama series, Dev Shah (Aziz Ansari) tries to jump-start not only his acting career but also his dating game with the help of his bizarre group of friends in New York. Written by Aziz Ansari and Alan Yang, this Netflix series takes a refreshing approach on life as an adult.

Based around the Marvel comics organisation S.H.I.E.L.D, this series follows a team of spy agents who try and keep the peace on Earth by fighting against villains, aliens, super-humans, and terrorist organisations. This team includes Melinda May, played by Macanese-born American actress Ming-Na Wen, who is a badass, butt-kicking weapons expert fatal in physical combat.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 5

This American family sitcom centres around the Asian-American Huang family, who have to strike a balance between embracing their American surroundings and keeping in touch with their Taiwanese roots. Fresh Off The Boat is a critically-acclaimed TV show that deals with the Asian-American experience in a light-hearted but still relevant way.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 4

This crime-drama series takes a contemporaryapproach to the traditional character of Sherlock Holmes, starring Jonny Lee Miller as Sherlock Holmes and Lucy Liu as Dr. Joan Watson.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 6

Written by and starring Mindy Kaling, this rom-com series follows gynaecologist Mindy Lahiri as she navigates between her romantic and professional life with a group of co-workers by her side.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 6

This HBO crime drama series centres around Nasir Khan (Riz Ahmed), a Pakistani-American college student who wakes up after a night of partying to find a girl stabbed to death beside him in his New York apartment. The show explores the legal, criminal and personal repercussions of Khan’s circumstance.

Where to watch: Available on AmazonNo. of seasons: 1

In this horror-drama hybrid series, you are taken into a post-apocalyptic world where people have been infected with a virus that turns them into ravenous zombies, save for a small percent of the population. Steven Yeun, who plays one of the principal characters Glenn Rhee, is a treat to watch and provides some much-needed comic relief from this intensestoryline.

Born and bred in Hong Kong, the city holds a special place in Debbie’s heart… and stomach. If she’s not…

Born and bred in Hong Kong, the city holds a special place in Debbie’s heart… and stomach. If she’s not eating Pho or gobbling down Xiaolongbaos, you can probably find her relaxing by the beach or awake at an ungodly hour watching Netflix. She isn’t impartial to a good tune either, and can be easily impressed by anyone with nice taste in music.

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Sassy Hong Kong is the go-to guide for girls in the city that truly never sleeps. From al fresco bars and hole-in-the-wall restaurants, to secret shopping spots and special events, we pound the pavements in search of all the best Hong Kong has to offer.